Biography of the composer Udo Zimmermann presented with a list of his works

Two and a half years after the death of composer Udo Zimmermann (1943-2021), his widow Saskia has published a biography of the artist, including the first complete list of his works. The book "Ich bin ein Theatermensch" also contains personal documents and memories, including those of prominent colleagues and companions such as conductor Herbert Blomstedt and director Peter Konwitschny.

The theater scholar worked on the artistic legacy of the Dresden native, who was considered one of the leading contemporary composers in Europe. "It was his wish that everything should go to the music archive of the Akademie der Künste in Berlin," she told the German Press Agency. The donation contract stipulates that she can edit it substantially beforehand.

Zimmermann, who created operas, vocal symphonies and chamber music works, was also involved in contemporary music as an artistic director and festival director. The former Dresden crucian founded and directed the Center for Contemporary Music in Dresden for many years, was artistic director of the Leipzig Opera and general director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin. He was also responsible for the musica viva series at Bayerischer Rundfunk.

"There was a biography 30 years ago that was outdated," said Zimmermann, who met the artist in 1992. While working with the extensive collection, she came up with the idea of combining it with memories of her husband's companions. "No posthumous eulogies, but stories about his life."

"Udo collected his entire life, photos, documents, posters, program booklets, reviews, everything that appeared about him, there weren't that many notes." And there are complete correspondences, with many of the senders "I could still talk to". However, the book focuses on the composer. With the exception of Zimmermann's much-performed "Die Weiße Rose", all of his great operas are "somehow faded out". Contemporary works simply have a hard time, especially with a large cast.

However, his widow did not find an opera project based on Max Frisch's novel "Mein Name sei Gantenbein", which Udo Zimmermann repeatedly mentioned. "There is no note - that was just a wish," she said. Instead, he wrote a short song cycle for a lawyer in Bonn, which sounds like Schubert's Winterreise. The book is intended to help "rediscover" Udo Zimmermann as a composer, she said. "I am fighting for his works to be played again."